Day: February 14, 2022

Below is the second part of a two-part Q&A conversation with Dr. Tiara Moore about Black in Marine Science, a nonprofit organization incorporated in Washington, of which she is the founder and CEO. Dr. Moore is also an employee of The Nature Conservancy in Washington, where she recently transitioned into a new role as Black in Marine Science Program Lead to change the game, change the face(s) of conservation, and steward a new partnership between the two organizations. You can read the first part here.

 

What’s BIMS Week?

BIMS Week is a week-long event that started last year; we just recently had the second one. The goal of BIMS Week is to represent authentic Black culture and history, and our connection to the ocean. It’s also about dispelling notions of what people think of when it comes to, “Who are scientists?” I’m definitely a scientist because I have a Ph.D. But we also have authors who are writing children’s books about science—they did the research, they went and made a rhyming book about ocean acidification! They’re scientists, as far as I’m concerned. They’ve got a connection to the ocean.

One of our keynote speakers for BIMS Week this year was the Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation in South Carolina—this is a community that has always had a connection to the water, particularly when you think about the South Atlantic slave trade and all of that. While she doesn’t have a background in marine science, her passion for talking about the water and ocean was just so beautiful to see [keynote here].

The goal of BIMS Week is not only for Black folks in the community and around the world to think about marine science and the ocean, but to also have a space that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive.

We did a BIMS members map and you can see that we’re all over, we out here!

There’s another side of inspiring allies, too—for them to see that there’s so much more when you think about Black people and marine science. It’s not about, “Oh, I wanna go be a SCUBA diver, I wanna go study dolphins and whales.” There is a HUGE, rich history that we have to think about, especially when you have to grapple with the fact that there’s millions of my ancestors at the bottom of the ocean.

I think that’s the goal of BIMS Week—to inspire. Inspire. Inspire. Inspire. And then empower—so that folks know that this exists, then they can talk about it and then go make a difference. Get voices out there. Amplify Black voices and their stories around the world.

 

What was your favorite part of BIMS Week?

This year, BIMS Week ended with BIMS Ball—I called it the Met Gala of Black science. Literally, it was a Ball celebrating Blackness and Black culture. We had a musician, poetry from a poet, a DJ—we got some dancing going on! We also had awards; we gave a BIMS Advocacy award to honor the Black marine scientists who have helped paved the way.

We had a lot of great stuff this year, actually—for instance, we had BIMS Cares, which was all about self-care; we had a therapist come in and do live mindfulness work, as well as talk about stress and trauma. So, yeah, we had a lot of good stuff going on throughout the whole week.

 

What does BIMS mean to you?

BIMS means future to me. BIMS was built out of a place of so much pain, hurt, trauma, but there was HOPE. I think that’s the beauty of BIMS and the relationship I have with BIMS. That, as beat down as I was, there was still hope. Hope in myself as a strong Black woman, but as well as hope that there could be a different day. There were white people listening, asking questions I hadn’t been asked before, and I was like, “Wow, maybe this is the moment something will change if I’m honest and transparent about me and my experiences, the things I’m going through.”

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“To go from those past experiences of being the only Black person in the room to now having BIMS, it’s just such a beautiful progression.”

There had been a lot of times where people had said, “Oh, you’ve never experienced racism, right? You’re not that type of Black.” These were the real questions I was getting, people had never worked with a Black person as a scientist or at that level. It was really interesting. So BIMS to me means hope, that there’s a future, that there’s enough Black people in marine science for there to even be a BIMS.

I wrote an Op-Ed in 2018 that was called “The Only Black Person in the Room” and it was about my experience serving on a marine science society board of directors. I realized during that period how behind everything was. I was literally the only Black person in the room—I was in this high-level position, but I was still being mistaken as the person who should get them coffee, or to ask where the bathroom was. To go from those past experiences of being the only Black person in the room to now having BIMS, it’s just such a beautiful progression.

That’s what it means to me—to go from being the only Black person in the room to Black in Marine Science.

How has the journey been?

The journey has been. I’m so grateful that I’m a good-spirited person, but I have to be honest. My mental health definitely suffered. I went to therapy more often. There were times I shed tears. I questioned myself, if I belonged in these spaces.

People make you feel unwelcome in spaces so long, you doubt yourself, like, “Can I read? Do I know about eDNA? Maybe I don’t…” So that was very hard, especially for someone that’s had to be confident my whole life. As a fat Black woman, you have to have this level of confidence that you come with because you’re just generally bullied so much. So to have worked so hard to build that confidence and then have that broken down by people I didn’t know, simply because of the color of my skin—I wasn’t used to that. That was a very hard time in my journey.

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“But the JOY that I have found simply by connecting with people … THAT makes this journey so much easier, a bit lighter. ”

But the JOY that I have found simply by connecting with people—talking with students, especially Black kids who see me and say, “Oh my gosh, I want to be a marine scientist. I never saw anyone who looks like you.”—THAT makes this journey so much easier, a bit lighter. Now I’m spending a lot more time on the upper side of things in the journey, of really choosing partnerships I want to do. But yeah, the journey has been. It’s been a whole journey for sure.

What opportunities exist for you, for BIMS?

Lots of opportunities exist, especially when I think about what the overall vision and goals are for Black in Marine Science. Right now, we’re a nonprofit that’s creating a lot of content. But what I would like to do is get to point where BIMS has the opportunity to create opportunities.

We’re getting to a point now where we’ve raised enough money to hire a BIMS fellow that can help us with some of the day-to-day things—it’s not a full-time employee, but it’s someone who’s being compensated for the work that was previously being done voluntarily. So that’s a step up.

I think the ultimate goal is to really create an institution, a BIMS institute. Where we can have a place to have education, a curriculum, even a whole school that is focused and geared to increase Black people in marine science. We think about where marine science institutions are now—Scripps, Woods Hole. They’re places where Black people don’t even exist; they have a population of about 0% Black people in the community. But you have to go there to become a marine scientist. Even at UCLA, there was more diversity outside in the community than on the campus. So why are we telling Black people that that’s where they have to go to be a marine scientist? I would love to partner with a historically Black college or university and have some type of research institution specifically for Black in marine science.

I also think we have an opportunity to, within the BIMS community, share different opportunities that they might not know about; different things at TNC and in other environmental fields. But also partnering in these places to bring more opportunities to impacted communities and students that usually wouldn’t get them.

One of the things that this [new role in TNC] has freed me up to do is pursue all the different opportunities with BIMS.

Wave a magic wand—in five years, what do you see for BIMS?

Honestly, I hope it’s the BIMS Institute that I was talking about. I would love to build a research and outreach facility that’s dedicated to Building Inclusivity in Marine Science, and I think it could look a lot of different ways.

I realized as a scientist and a researcher, we have to focus a lot more on science communication—so that’s why I say “research and outreach”. I also still say “research” because a lot of people think that because I’m doing this diversity work now, that I’ve left science, that I can’t do science, that I won’t be doing “hard” science. I just want to say that I never wanted to not do hard science, it just wasn’t a welcoming space for me—I didn’t leave science, I was pushed away.

So how can I build that inclusive lab space that I wanted and that I know other Black marine scientists crave? That’s what I would love to build. But for now, I have some tricks up my sleeve and things in the works, don’t worry!

Also, to go back to the inclusive lab, to have that outreach aspect included in the facility because we know it’s so important. If we can do more research and include Black and impacted communities inside of our research at the same time, how awesome would that be? We could be creating content in the lab that’s easily consumable and digestible by the general public, so they automatically always know what’s going on in the lab!

Those are some of the goals and vision we have for the BIMS Institute and ultimately Black in Marine Science.

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Note: we’d like to thank Dr. Tiara Moore again for her time, leadership, wisdom, and all that she shared with us. This was the second and last of a two-part Q&A with Dr. Moore about her, her work, Black in Marine Science, and more. You can read the first part here. You can also donate to BIMS here: bims.org/donate

All photos courtesy of Dr. Tiara Moore

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Volunteers are mission critical to The Nature Conservancy, and we are so fortunate to have such a great group of incredible, dedicated folks.

In 2021, one volunteer’s contributions toward our mission rose above the rest. We are proud to announce that the 2021 Volunteer of the Year award goes to Jenna Rovegno for her work as a Lands Team Volunteer!

Jenna has volunteered for The Nature Conservatory since 2009 and contributed 500-plus hours! She shared that the reason she joined TNC was because her values aligned with TNC’s mission to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Jenna has been putting energy into a massive project updating the management plans for preserves across Washington. Management plans paint a picture of how our stewardship work touches down on the lands we currently own and describe the unique characteristics of each place. A well-crafted management plan can be useful for stewardship practitioners, decision makers, local partners, neighboring landowners, and many more. As the TNC team prepares to update these plans, Jenna paves the way by utilizing her expertise in technical copy editing to carry over the content from existing management plans into the new template. Jenna has already worked through the plans for 13 preserves all over the state (each plan being 30+ pages of varied, technical content) – a massive gift of time and effort that is streamlining the update process significantly.

visit TNC preserves in washington

In all of this, Jenna has demonstrated an attention to detail, drive for results, and can-do attitude that is outstanding. She has been volunteering for TNC for many years…and this year is no exception, with Jenna putting in 120 hours during 2021. We are truly grateful for Jenna’s excellent work, and look forward to continuing on this important project.

Honorable Mentions

Competition is stiff for the volunteer of the year at The Nature Conservancy’s Washington chapter. With hundreds of active volunteers every year, it’s always a tough decision to pick only one volunteer.  As an honorable mention, we would also like to acknowledge “super volunteer” Leah Zarin. Leah is a long-time volunteer for the Transactions Team, and her dedication as a volunteer was especially appreciated on a project researching tax strategies for TNC preserves.

Thank you, Jenna, Leah, and all of the volunteers who help us achieve our mission every day!

Volunteer for the nature conservancy

Upper Alliance Road, which begins at the #5 mine across from the Cle Elum High School, and parts of Ridge Road along Cle Elum Ridge are closed to snowmobiling and other recreational activities for the winter season. During this time, The Nature Conservancy, which manages the adjacent privately-owned land on Cle Elum Ridge, is conducting commercial tree thinning as part of ongoing forest conservation and wildfire prevention practices.

Thinning is an essential part of ongoing conservation efforts in the Cle Elum region for creating healthier, more fire-resilient forests. Winter conditions are ideal for this operation since the frozen ground and snow reduce soil compaction that heavy machinery could otherwise cause. Additionally, the dormant trees store essential nutrients in root systems during the winter months, which remain in the forest to support future growth.

“This thinning is an essential step towards protecting the towns of Ronald, Roslyn, and Cle Elum from the threat of catastrophic fire. We’re grateful for the support of our recreation communities as we complete this work, and we hope it will pay off for years to come,” explained Katie Pofahl, Community Relations Manager with The Nature Conservancy.

The decision to close parts of Alliance and Ridge roads was made in close collaboration with the Kittitas County Snowmobile Grooming Council and Washington State Parks, with the safety of community members as a primary concern. Logging trucks will be working throughout the winter and can create dangerous conditions for recreationists. Recreational use of these roads will resume once logging operations are complete.

“The Kittitas County Snowmobile Grooming Council wishes to remind all that we have worked hard to establish a positive working relationship with The Nature Conservancy. Winter recreation is the only time motorized travel is allowed,” said Bob Seelye, Chairman of the Snowmobile Council. “Hopefully, all will respect the temporary logging closure. In addition, a gentle reminder that over the snow vehicles are NOT allowed on the Roslyn Nordic Ski trails, and there is a 25 MPH Speed limit on the Coal Mines trail. Have a safe winter recreation season.”

Washington State Parks has updated the map of available snowmobile trails, which can be seen here and reflects these changes. Please consult the maps, pay attention to posted signs, and check in with your local groomers and land managers if you have questions.

“We appreciate the community’s understanding and cooperation as we balance the health of our forests and recreational activities on these working forest lands,” said Pofahl.

by Molly Bogeberg, Marine Conservation Manager

When you shuck an oyster, you likely enjoy the briny meat and toss the shell to the side. However, for the oyster industry and the native oyster restoration community, discarded Pacific oyster shells are highly valued. When shellfish farmers shuck Pacific oysters on a large scale, they hold on to and reuse the discarded shells. The shell piles build over time into giant mounds that bake in the sun until the shells are free of any live tissue. These “seasoned” shells are used to stabilize farm roads and to re-grow Pacific oysters back in the water. The shells are also prized by restoration groups looking to restore native Olympia oyster populations.

Olympia oysters are the only native oyster found in Puget Sound and along the Washington Coast. While they were once plentiful along shorelines, their populations have seen steep declines over the past 100 years due to overharvesting, competition with non-native shellfish, and water quality issues. Tribes, restoration groups, the shellfish industry, and state agencies have been working together to bring back the Olympia oyster. Finding and acquiring oyster shells is one big piece of the puzzle to help rebuild Olympia oyster reefs.

For Tribes and groups like The Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), Olympia oyster restoration begins with collecting adult oysters from the Sound, allowing the adults to spawn in the hatchery, collecting and rearing oyster larvae, and then either allowing the larvae to settle on shells as they would in nature or raising the larvae into single oysters.

Oyster shells can also be spread out on mudflats where Olympia oyster reefs once existed, allowing oyster larvae floating with the tides to drop down and settle. Once the larvae settle on the shells, they grow into adult oysters that can spawn and eventually build into an oyster reef.

To support shellfish farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic and Olympia oyster restoration efforts, The Nature Conservancy and PEW Charitable Trusts initiated the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program. This National program focused on purchasing unsold native oysters from shellfish growers and matching oysters with existing restoration efforts. Since shells are critical to native oyster restoration in Washington, SOAR extended the purchase program to include Pacific oyster shells. Over the past two years, we’ve been working with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and PSRF to coordinate the purchase of over 800 cubic yards of Pacific oyster shells from Taylor Shellfish as well as Northern Oyster Company with help from Goose Point Oysters. Once seasoned, these shells will be used by PSRF to expand their Olympia oyster restoration efforts in the Puget Sound.

Watch the video below to see the oyster shell delivery in action!

Footage courtesy of Nick Gendron

Learn more about the SOAR program

Banner photo by Courtney Baxter/TNC

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Speak up for nature this session

Learn what it means to “Sign in Pro” — one of the quickest, easiest ways to show your support for a bill moving through the Legislature.

Washington’s state Legislature convened today for a 60-day session. In even-numbered years like 2022, lawmakers focus on relatively small budget requests, “fixes” and limited policy proposals. But there’s still a lot happening! Coming off the major successes for nature and people in 2021 – including groundbreaking laws for addressing climate change, working toward environmental justice and increasing wildfire and forest resilience – there’s important work to be done both to ensure these new policies are implemented successfully and to carry forward additional important efforts for an environmentally and socially resilient future for Washington. 

Protecting Natural and Working Lands

In the past two decades, more than a million acres of open space — forests, farmland, ranches and urban tree canopy — have been converted to other uses, damaging fish and wildlife habitat, diminishing our ability to address climate change and negatively impacting human health. Several of our priorities this year seek to stem the loss of irreplaceable natural and working lands and ensure our state is empowered to plan more thoughtfully for the years to come.

• The Keep Washington Evergreen proposal from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would establish targets and action plans to conserve 1 million acres of working forestland and reforest another million acres of urban tree canopy and recently burned areas by 2040, prioritizing adding trees and green space in overburdened communities. Healthy, resilient and accessible forests promote environmental and community well-being and are one key solution to climate change.

Learn more about Keep Washington Evergreen from DNR

• Washington’s Conservation Futures program has allowed counties to permanently protect open space, farmland and forests, and to build and maintain parks and trails. But land protection costs have increased significantly over the half-century the program has existed. A limit on annual levy growth means the voter-approved rate is effectively compressed, constraining the ability of Conservation Futures funds to meet local needs. A legislative fix would restore local control over the levy rate, allowing local jurisdictions like counties to better balance conservation and other priorities.

Learn more From THe Conservation Futures COalition

• A loophole undermining the state Growth Management Act allows counties to subvert the Growth Management Hearing Board appeals process and prematurely permit development that devours or damages farmland, forests and wildlife habitat. Closing the loophole is a top priority for all of us in the Environmental Priorities Coalition.

• With funding, the Farmland Protection and Land Access program can facilitate the creation of agricultural easements to help prevent conversion of farmland for other uses and assist new and beginning farmers, especially those from underrepresented groups, as they take on ownership and stewardship of agricultural land. We’re supporting a capital budget request from the State Conservation Commission to help this program work in concert with the Farmland Protection and Affordability (FarmPAI) revolving loan fund.

Environmental priorities coalition 2022

Each year, we get together with more than 20 other environmental groups to advocate for a slate of shared priorities. The Lorraine Loomis Act, closing the Growth Management Act sprawl loophole and passing Transportation for All are all on this year’s list.

Salmon Recovery

Despite the best efforts of many across our state, salmon species continue to be threatened and on the brink of extinction. We owe it to ourselves, our neighbors and to future generations — and we are obligated under the federal Endangered Species Act and through treaties with sovereign tribal nations — to recover salmon populations in Washington.

Advocate with the EPC

• The Lorraine Loomis Act will protect and restore riparian habitat — the trees and plants along riverbanks that help to improve water quality and regulate temperature. Developed through Centennial Accord efforts of treaty tribes and the Governor’s Office, the Lorraine Loomis Act establishes riparian zone standards for landowners in priority watersheds, along with incentives and cost-share provisions.

• Budget support for salmon recovery efforts is critical, but dedicated funding has been a missing piece of the strategy. We’re advocating for requests in all three supplemental budgets — operating, capital and transportation — to support riparian habitat restoration and protection and clean water, including investing in public-private partnerships to advance innovative green stormwater infrastructure solutions.

Implementing 2021’s big wins

In 2021, the Legislature enacted four important laws marking big progress for addressing climate change (the Climate Commitment Act and Clean Fuel Standard), working toward environmental justice (the HEAL Act) and resilient forest communities (the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration and Community Resilience Act).

To ensure effective implementation of the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), in 2022 we’re advocating for:

• enhanced investments for air-quality monitoring in overburdened communities;

• a specific tribal consultation process for CCA expenditures;

• the establishment of an Office of Climate Commitment Accountability to govern implementation of the new law;

• clarification of emissions-reduction pathways for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries.

Community Policy and Budget Priorities

We’re working closely with diverse partners across the state to advocate for strategic investments and policies that make sense for Washington — and make a difference for nature and people. This year, we’re asking the Legislature to:

• Update the Growth Management Act to help local governments plan for climate change;

• Expand clean and fair energy infrastructure;

• Pass a transportation package that invests Climate Commitment Act revenue, federal infrastructure dollars and additional revenue in transportation decarbonization and climate resilience strategies;

• Prioritize recent federal funding toward safe and clean drinking water;

• Fund the Sustainable Farms and Fields grant program to help farmers tackle climate change.

Help make it all happen

Make sure you’re signed up for our advocacy emails to stay up to date on time-sensitive opportunities to speak up for these and other policy priorities throughout the session and beyond.

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Banner photo: Skykomish River near Index, WA by James Brooks.